Box making



l Aug. 2l, 1934- G. H. sNYDER Er Al.

Box MAKIN Filed Jul-y 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 21, 1934. G. H. sNYDER ET Al.

BOX MAKING Filed July 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY A Patented Aug. 21, 1934 PATENT OFFICE nox MAKING George H. Snyder, Glenside, and Allen G. Snyder, Chestnut Hill, Pa.

Application July 25, 1933, Serial No. 682,098

16 Claims. (01.229-23) This application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 645,138, nled December l, 1932.

This invention relates to the art of box making,

and particularly to the simulation of conventional wooden cigar boxes, by boxes made of pasteboard or cardboard.

It is known that boxes made of pasteboard or cardboard have been produced in the past such as successfully to simulate wooden cigar boxes t for all practical purposes, such as` in accordance with our former Patent No. 1,839,779. However, this simulation excellent as it is, has been incomplete owing to the fact that conventional wooden cigar boxes provide ends which are higher than the sidesof the box by the thickness of the lid, with the ends of substantially the same Ithickness or width as thethickness of the lid, and extending laterally to form sharp corners with the sides. In the cardboard simulations made according to the noted patent the box has been comprised of an inner tray, the sides and ends of which are substantially of the same level with their upper edges in substantially the same horizontal plane, seated or nested in an outer shell which has sides of substantially the level of the sides of the tray, but which has endswhich are higher than the ends of the tray. When assembled this forms a complete box the ends of which are recessed or stepped so as to provide a lower level or seat to receive the lid,vwhile the upper inner surfaces of the shell ends project vertically above this level to cover the side edges of the lid. While this has been eminently satisfactory from the utilitarian standpoint, it has been open to the commercial disadvantage of departure from standard conventional wooden cigar box practice. This departure is found in the fact that the composite box usually has the tray of thicker material than the shell, so that the shell end is usually appreciably thinner than the thickness of the lid, so that in both plan and elevation the thinness of the ends vadjacent the lid can be observed.

While, as noted, this detracts no whit from the utility of the box, and its efilciency is not impaired, and the convention which it contravenes is more or less artiiicial, yet this factor in commercial exploitation of the boxes must be considered, as the construction above noted has marked a distinction from exact simulations o1' wooden cigar boxes. a

In order to produce a replica of a wooden cigar box covered with an ornamental wrap or wrapper, it is necessary to provide the ends of the simulation of a thickness substantially that of the lid, which ends extend parallel to the sides of the lid to terminate in a square corner which is a vertical continuation of the side walls of the box.

It will be appreciated that although what might be considered to be a close approximation of this structureV might be secured by providing a shell with ends higher than the sides, in which there is nested a tray having ends higher than the sides, with the respective ends and the respective sides horizontally and respectively coextensive, yet this also falls short of the required structure, and cannot exactly serve the purpose. This fails, because although the thickness of the composite end may be proper, and the upper levels of the sides and ends may be so similar as to effect a substantially unbroken surface when Wrapped, the juncture of the ends with the sides will present a ragged, non-rectangular terminus of the end walls at their vertical edges. The vertical edges would be stepped or staggered so that the vertical terminal edge ofthe inner surface of the end of the tray would be inwardly stepped out of the plane of the vertical edge of the end wall of the shell. This could not be suitably covered or wrapped to secure the square terminal required. The vertical edge of the end of the tray must appear to lie in the same plane as the vertical edge of the shell end, as an extension of the plane of the outer surface of the side of the shell. The composite end must extend transversely across vthe side wall to terminate in a square edge aligned with the outer surface of the side wall, to properly simulate a wooden cigar box.

In its essence the invention herein comprises building or forming a box of suitable material in which the sides and ends may be of substantially similar levels from the bottom of the box, then in cutting the sidewalls vertically transversely in alignment with the inner vertical surface of the end Walls', substantially, and in cutting the side Walls horizontally to a lower level than the end walls between the transverse vertical cuttings. These operations may occur in any desired order or simultaneously, as may be found most expedient. The cutting of the side walls may be accompanied, or preceded, or followed by the cutting of the end Walls horizontally to insure exact registration of the component elevments of the respective end Walls, if found desirable. The cutting of the walls of the box may be accomplished in any desired manner and by any desired mechanism, but it is preferred to use a machine such as is shown for example in our l co-pending application Ser. No. 663,256, filed March 29, 1933.

Although the invention is disclosed inthe illustrative form as for boxes for cigars, it will be clear that it is applicable generally to the art of boxes broadly. It will also be understood that although in the preferred form it is considered advisable to provide a composite box formed of nested elements, this is not essential in the broadestaspects of the invention.' y l It is among the objects of this invention; to provide a process for forming cardboard boxes to simulate wooden boxes; to provide a cardboard box which is a simulation of a wooden box; to improve the art of box making; to provide a box of composite structure that hasV edges of sides and ends in exact registration; to provide a box with ends higher than the sides, formed initially with higher sides than as finished, with the lateral parts of the ends formed of ends and sides above the level of the finished sides; to provide a box of inner and outer nested members with ends higher than the sides, and with Ithe ends extended transversely across the sides so that seemingly the vertical edges of the ends of the inner and outer members terminate in a plane containing the outer side surface of the outer member; to provide a process for, transversely cutting the walls of a cardboard box from the inside surface to the outside surface; to provide a process for transversely cutting the side walls of a box in alignment with the inner surfaces of the ends thereof with a cut passing outwardly through such wall; to provide a -box formed as a result of the practice of either Aof the lastmentioned processes; to provide a cardboard box with a wall, the upper edge of which is substantially if not exactly perpendicular to said wall is inclined upwardly toward the outer surface of said wall; and many other objects and advantages as will become more apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a perspective of a completed box with lid, as formed according to this invention,

Fig. 2 represents a perspective of the box at one stage of its development, showing in dotted lines the cuts which are subsequently made in the box to form the sharp ends and lower sides of the invention,

Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary perspective of the sides and end of a box after it has been cut according to the invention,

Fig. 4 represents a view similarto that of Fig. 3 after it has been wrapped to conceal the composite nature of the box,

Fig. 5 represents a transverse vertical section through an assembled box and lid according to this invention, Y y

Fig. 6 represents a plan of the various elements comprising a modified form of box.

Fig. '7 represents a detached perspectivevof the several box-forming'elements shown in Fig. 6 in their folded but disassembled condition,

Fig. 8represents a perspective of an assembled composite box according to the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7 with the differences in wall levels between associated component -elements shown in a rather exaggerated manner,

Fig. 9- represents a fragmentary transverse section through a. corner of a box constructed according to they modification shown in Figs. 6, 'I and 8,

Fig. 10 'represents a fragmentary perspective of a side and end of the Amodified form of box after it has been cut according to the invention, and Fig. 11 represents a transverse vertical section through an assembled modified box and lid according to this invention.

In the illustrative form A,of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive,y it will be preferred to provide an innermember 9, called the tray, having a bottom 10, sidewalls 11,'and end Walls- 12. The tray may be and preferably is formed from a blank, cut and Yscored and folded into shape, and held in anyfdesired manner in the folded condition. vIt may be pressed into shape, or be otherwise formed. The tray l9 as initially formed lmay have thejsides and ends at substantially the same level.'A -In passing it may be noted that it is diiiicult to have them at exactly the same level, owing-to variations-in the fibrous distribution of the material, as well as owing to wear and the like on the scoring and cutting members. However, for general purposes the level of the sides and ends may be considered to be at least approximately similar. The tray 9 may be individually Wrapped for strength if desired. 'I'he tray nests in an outer element 13, called the shell, having the bottom surface 14, side walls or members 15 and end walls or'members 16. The shell is usually of thinner material than the tray, and may be formed in any of the manners suggested relative to the tray. In the usual case it will be formed from a scored blank folded into position to receive the tray. The shell may be wrapped for decoration or strength prior to association with the tray. As will be pointed out,

however, it is preferred that the decorative wrap be applied after the composite box has been assembled andprocessed.

The tray 9 being nested in the shell 13, in at least a tight fit, and preferably in adhesive relav tion in any desired manner, the levels of the respective side walls of the assembly will preterably be similar, and preferably care has been exercised to proportion the parts so that the upper edge of end wall 12 isin the same horizontal plane as the upper edge of end wall 16. As previously noted this can be insured by cutting the end walls transversely or horizontally after assembly, although this is usually unnecessary.

rBy any suitable cutting means a transverse vertical cut is made preferably simultaneously at each end through the composite side wall in alignment with the inner vertical surface of end wall 12 to form a continuation of the inner surface as shown by dotted lines 17, marking a continuation 18 of such surface extending alllthe way through the side walls. The vertical' cut thus made is in vertical extent substantially the same length as the thickness of lid v,20, making due allowances for the thickness of the subsequently added wrapper.

Preferably simultaneously lwith the vertical cuts 17, horizontal cuts are made in the side walls, as shown in dotted lines at 21, extending perpendicularly of the said side kwalls 15, and forming the upper horizontal edge 22. 'I'his latter edge intersects the vertical extension surface 18 in a rectangle throughout its width.

The cuts just described as made at A17 and 21, provide a vertical extension ofthe side wall at 23 which is formed by an angular extension of the end wall 16 of the shell, of a length substantially the same as the thickness of the end wall 12 of the tray 9. The angular side or nlongitudinal extension of the shell end, thus embraces the lateral or vertical edge of the end 12 of the tray directly, or in a similar relation thereto spaced from the lateral edges of the end 12 of the tray the angular extension and the vertical edge of the end of the tray. If the tray corner is formed of non-abutting ends and sides, then there will also be a fragment of the sidewall forming part of the lateral extension of the composite end wall. It is a feature of the invention that the method herein converts what was a portion of a side wall into a functional prolongation of an end wall.

A wrapper 24 of any desired sort and applied in any conventional manner is applied to cover the upper sides and edges of the side and end walls, to cover the line of jointure between the tray and shell, and the simulation of the conventional wooden box having higher ends than sides is complete. It will be understood that the lid 20 is also wrapped as at 25, and is hingedly mounted on one side edge to seat upon the other side edge in any desired manner.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive, there is provided a composite box, the side and end walls of which are composed of a plurality of laminations of cardboard, in the preferred though illustrative form of the modification shown comprising three such layers, of which each is, preferably, o f the same thickness.

Two blanks, of fibrous material like cardboard, respectively 27 for the inner and 26 for the outer member, are provided, suitably scored, creased or crimped to denne a bottom and four flaps. The outer member or shell 26, has a `bottom 28, end flaps 30, and side flaps 31. This is folded along the scorings as shown in the lower part of Fig. 7, and the folded box element is then suitably reinforced to retain its substantially rectangular form. The reinforcement may take the form of a wrapping of suitably strong material such as a kraft paper; ordinarily, however, it is sufficient to merely stay the corners as by the stay papers 36. In the conventional situation according to this invention, it makes but little difference how the corners are joined. That is, whether the ends abut the sides, or the sides abut the ends, or whether they form an open corner by edge to edge abutment makes little real difference. The freedom in this regard obviously increases the speed of production. The stay or stay papers 36 are strong and are adherent to both the end and side wall preferably, throughout the vertical length of the joint.

The tray of the assembly is formed from the blank 27, and comprises bottom 33, end flaps 34, and side flaps 35. The blank is also suitably scored, crimped or creased to enable folding into substantially rectangular form, in which it is held by suitable reinforcements, such as the stays 32, as shown at the top of Fig. '7. The same remarks relative to. corners maintains to the shell as to the tray, as do the comments relative to the reinforcements thereof.

In the usual course the shells are formed independently of the trays, and are assembled in a composite structure after such individual or independent formation. A continuous binder strip 37 having crimps or creases to mark o sections 38 for registry with the shell and tray ends, a section 40 for registration with one side wall of the box, and end sections of different lengths, as 41 and 42, which are arranged to register partially with the other side wall of a box component. That is the ends of sections 41 and 42 terminate in spaced relation to form a gap 44, to avoid overlapping, as shown just below the top of Fig. 7, and in the assembly of Fig. 8. `The binder strip 37 may be of paper if desired, or of thin or thick cardboard, but it is preferred that it be of thin cardboard, andI that it be of the same thickness as the blanks 26 and 27, so that as assembled there will be three plies of material of ysubstantially the same thickness in each composite assembled wall. The creasing of the binder is preferred, but is not essential, as it may just be folded or bent in position. To facilitate the assembly and the unification of the whole, a false bottom 43 of the same thickness as the blank 26, preferably, is provided, arranged to seat upon the bottom 28 of the shell 26.

With the tray blank folded to box form and` stayed and Withthe shell blank also folded to box form and stayed, the binder strip 37 is preferably subjected to a coating of glue or other adhesive on both sides, such, for instance, as by immersion of the strip in the adhesive in the presence of heat. The moisture causes the binder strip to expand and it is initially of such size that when moistened it will expand so that when 'suitably wound around the vertical walls 34 and 35 of the tray a snug fit may be secured if desired. The false bottom 43 has also been coated on each side with adhesive and dropped into the folded shell 26. The tray 27, with the outer wrap of the binder 37, is then dropped into the shell to rest upon the upper adhesive coat on the false bottom 43. The binder strip on the tray is placed in contact with the inner surfaces of thewalls 30 and 31 of the shell, by sliding the tray and strip downwardly and the bonded relation is made even more intimate by subjecting the individual walls of the assembled composite box to lateral compressing pressure as, for instance, against an internal anvil. This causes the formation of an intimate reinforced rigid laminated wall section comprised of an outer wall 30 or 31, the binder strip 37 and the inner wall 34 or 35. Note that this intimate bonded relation maintains even into the very corners of the structure. This is owing to the 'ease of adhesively coating the entire length of the binding strip so that the adhesive, as, for instance, glue, is carried into the corners, in contrast to usual practice in which the gluing or coating of the wall with adhesive stops short of the corners. The saturation of the binder strip with the adhesive, or the approximation thereof, in addition to causing the strip to expand, permits it to be compressed or caused to flow, so to speak, away from the vmiddles of the walls, toward the corners, so that the corners are filled with the adherent fibers of the binding strip. The corners, each already reinforced by the stays on individual component parts, are therefore reinforced by the glue and the binding strip. They are also materially reinforced and strengthened against expanding pressure by the continuous extent of the binding strip, which being uncut and unbroken, affords all of the strength of the cardboard in tension. It is worthy of note that the binder strip tends to contract as it dries, and

compresses against the walls of the tray and pulls l5() the walls of the shell inwardly with it, and therefore increases the resistance of the composite walls to outward or bursting pressure, and indeed in some cases causes the walls to have an initial inward bulging urge, such as to cause the end walls, for instance, to hug the lateral edges of the lid, instead of bulging outwardly in the center as might otherwise be the case.

It is a feature contributing to the economy of production of this device, that no especial care is needed to insure that the walls of the shell and tray, and of the binder strip, are of the same level or height. Indeed, as shown in Fig. 8, in a rather exaggerated and unusual but possible degree, they may be of various levels, and the upper edges of contiguous plies need not even be in parallelism as the discrepancies that may exist are all avoided when the composite box is subjected to the cutting operation already described. The sections 41 and 42 of the binding strip leave a small space or gap 44, which is spaced from the middle of' the side wall toward an end as shown in order to avoid the danger of the lid-fastening brad entering therein.

The composite box as shown in Fig. 8, is subjected to the transverse cut through the side walls, as at 46 accompanied, preceded or followed by the horizontal transverse cut 45, as in the form of the invention already described, and to the same effect as before, except that in this latter case the exposed edges of the walls are formed of three plies instead of two as in the first described form. However, as the three plies are each thinner than the walls of the tray of the first described form, the resulting wall is of substantially the same thickness, but is somewhat stronger, and enables the use of the thinner cardboard throughout. It is contemplated that the composite end walls will be cut horizontally parallel with the bottom, to form a finished edge in vertically spaced relation to the upper edge of the finished side walls.

'Ihere are two elements of interest in the cutting of either form of composite box disclosed herein, that should be noted, as leading toward a preferred process of cutting. 'I'he first is that in making the vertical cuts transversely of the side wall in alignment with the inner surface of the end walls, it is preferable to cut outwardly through the wall, and to use the end walls as gauges or guides for this cutting. This obviates the almost inevitable adverse effect that follows efforts to cut inwardly through the side wall while attempting to maintain such exact registration with the knives as to have them just clear the end walls instead of striking and digging into said walls after penetrating through the side Walls. The maintenance of exact registration is quite difficult and is simplified and made automatic by making the cuts outwardly as the inner surfaces of the end walls act as guides or gauges. Such outward cuts obviously cannot extend into the edges of the end wall.

The other factor of note is the following: It is found that in cutting cardboard by shearing processes in which a moving knife moves toward a stationary anvil or backing up device, or blade, that, incident to the provision of suiicient clearance to secure removable positioning of the boxes, the resilience and give or yield of the cardboard is such that occasionally, depending upon other factors including the fiber distribution, the board yields and moves slightly by bending away from the entering blade. In this contingency it will be clear that the cut may not be exactly perpendicular or normal to the surface of the wall of cardboard through which the blade enters, but will be greater than a right angle or obtuse to such wall. Thus the opposite surfaces of said walls will be of different perpendicular extents relative to said cut edge and the bottom, with the shorter surface that through which the blade enters. 'I'hs degree of obtuseness may be appreciable or slight, but in the case where a lid is to rest -upon it as in the cigar box illustrated, where the lid is supposed to extend perpendicularly relative to the wall having the cut edge surface in parallelism with such cut edge, such obtuse angled edge surface will be angularly divergent from the lid, and will prevent the lid from seating and if made by cutting inwardly through the wall will disclose a permanent crack or opening that is unsatisfactory and militates against the commercialization of the box. Again, however, by making the cut outwardly of the box wall, from within, such obtuseness of angle of upper edge of the wall, if any, is relative to the inner surface of the wall, and not to the outer surface, and the outer surface of the wall becomes higher than the inner surface, so that the lid rests upon the edge of the outer surface of the wall and effects a tight sealed crackless joint, which is highly desirable. For general purposes therefore it is preferred to cut through the side and end walls by an outwardly directed cut.

The construction and advantages of the invention are thought to be obvious, as is the fact that many modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit thereof as set forth in the attached claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A cardboard box having side and end walls, each wall formed of a plurality of layers, the end wall being prolonged in the plane of its inner surface across the lower side Wall, the prolongation above the side wall comprising a functional angular extension of a layer of the end wall having a vertical edge in said plane.

2. A cardboard box having side and end walls, each wall formed of a plurality of layers, the end wall being prolonged in the plane of its inner surface across the lower side wall, the prolongation above the side wall comprising a functional kangular extension of a layer of the end wall having a vertical edge in said plane, and including a shorter angular extension of another layer of the end wall also having an edge surface in said plane.

3. A cardboard box having side and end walls, each wall formed of a plurality of layers, the end wall being prolonged in the plane of its inner surface across the lower side wall, the prolongation above the side wall comprising a functional angular extension of a layer of the end wall having a vertical edge in said plane, and including a shorter angular extension of another layer of the end wall also having an edge surface in said plane, said last-mentioned extension and layer being integral.

4. A cardboard box having sides and ends at different levels and comprised of inner and outer nested members and a binding strip adherent to the walls of both members, an end of the box being at a higher level than a side and being prolonged above the side in the plane of the inner surface of the said end wall, said prolongation comprising an angular side extension of the bind- -ing strip, and a longer functional angular side extension of the end of the nested outer member.

5. The method of making a cardboard box which comprises forming a blank comprised of a bottom and side and end flaps, providing wall reinforcing means, said side flaps and means having a width at least as great as that required for the finished height of the end wall, bending the blank and adhesively securing said means to the flaps of the blank to provide a box having walls comprised of a plurality of laminations, then copying the contour and proportions of a conventional wooden cigar box by trimming the side walls to form a step below the level of the end walls by substantially the thickness of a lid, the trimming further providing a prolongation of lthe end walls across the side walls.

6. The method of making a cardboard box which comprises forming a blank comprised of a bottom and side and end flaps, providing wall reinforcng means, said flaps and means having a width at least as great as'that required for the finished height of the end walls, bending the blank and adhesively securing said means to the flaps of the blank to provide a box having walls comprised of a plurality of laminations, then copying the contour and proportions of a conventional wooden cigar box by trimming the end Walls and trimming the side walls to form a' step below the level of the end walls by substantially the thickness of a lid, the trimming further providing a functional prolongation of the end walls across the side walls.

7. The method of making a cardboard box which comprises nesting a one piece blank having a bottom and side flaps in a one piece blank havv ing a bottom and side flaps, adhesively securing the blanks together to form a box body having laminated reinforced upstanding Walls, the initial height of the side walls being as great as the required nished end wall height, then copying the contour and proportions of a conventional wooden cigar box by trimming all of said walls so that the side walls are lower-than the end walls by substantially the thickness of a lid and so that lthe end walls extend across the side walls.

8. The method of making a cardboard box which comprises nesting one preformed blank in another preformed blank and with nested supplemental reinforcing means, to form a box -body having a bottom and walls each comprised of `a plurality of laminations with the side walls as high as the finished end wall, adhesively securing the laminations of the walls together to form reinforced unitary Walls, then copying the contour and proportions of a conventional wooden cigar box by trimming the side walls `to form a step below the level of the end walls by substantially the thickness of a lid, the trimming further providing that the box end walls extend across the side walls.

9. In cardboard boxes, an end Wall of a box in combination with the side wall of a'box whose ends join each other to form a corner construction, said end and side walls being built up of laminations, said end wall being higher than the side wall, the material constituting the end of the end wall being homogeneous and integral with the side wall and mechanically secured to that portion of the material of the end wall which lies inwardly of the corner.

10. A cardboard box comprised of a blank having a bottom and sidel and end walls bent up from the bottom inbox formation, cardboard wall-reinforcing means adhesively associated with` the four walls of the blank to reinforce and unify same, said means continuous across all Walls but one and continuous across all corners, and having end portions engaging the remaining one wall and with the ends spaced from any corner, so that said means reinforces all corners of said box.

11. The method of making a box which comprises forming a box body with sides and ends, cutting through the sides in alignment with the inner surfaces of the ends, and cutting through a side below the level of the end.

12. The4 method of making a box which consists in providing a box body formed of nested inner and outer members having ends and sides, cutting through the sides of both members in alignment with the inner surface of the end of the inner member, and cutting through the sides of both members below the level of the ends thereof.

13. The method of making a box which comprises providing a box body formed of nested inner and outer members having ends and sides, cutting through both side members transversely in alignment with the inner surface of the end of the inner member, and cutting transversely horizontally through the sides of both members in registration with the first-mentioned cut, and Wrapping the exposed edges to conceal the line of jointure of the inner and outer members.

14. 'I'he method of making the simulation` of a Wooden box which comprises forming a box body Witha. bottom and side and end walls with the walls formed of a plurality of laminations of cardboard and with each wall initially of substantially the same height from the bottom, cutting transverselythrough one wall below the finished level of an adjacent Wall with a cut parallel with said bottom through said plurality of layers, of cutting through said first-mentioned cut Wall with a cut perpendicular to said wall as a substantial continuation of the inner surface of said adjacent Wall, and of covering said walls with a paper wrap to conceal the cut edges thereof.

l5. The method of making a box which comprises forming a box body of nested inner and outer cardboard members having ends and sides adhesively secured together, cutting through a side of both members in alignment with the inner surface of the end of the inner member, cutting through a side of. both members with a cut perpendicular to said side below the level of the ends thereof, cutting transversely through the ends of both members with a cut perpendicular to the end members, and wrapping the walls with a wrap extending over the upper edgesr of said walls.

16. Themethod of forming a box having side and end walls which comprises the step of cutting transversely through a portion only of one wall as a continuation of the inner surface of an intersecting wall to accommodate a lid.

GEORGE H. SNYDER. ALLEN G. SNYDER. 

